Intel confirms 14nm Broadwell chips will ship in time for the holidays

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Intel releases new processors on a tick-tock principle. The tick is a microarchitecture change, and the tock is a die-shrink. When Haswell was released it signaled the introduction of a new microarchitecture using a 22nm manufacturing process. So that was the tick. The tock is Broadwell–that same Haswell microarchitecture, only with a die shrink taking it down to a 14nm process.

We haven’t had a firm date from Intel regarding when Broadwell will launch, but we did know last year that manufacturing problems would delay that launch. Now Intel CEO Brian Krzanich has confirmed during Maker Faire in San Mateo that Broadwell will launch in time for the holidays. They won’t be available for the back-to-school computer purchases (July-August time), but will be in stores long before you’re purchasing Christmas presents this year. I’m guessing September or October.

The biggest incentive for waiting to purchase a Broadwell processor is the potential power savings and performance bump moving to a 14nm process will bring. A 30 percent performance gain across CPU and GPU is promised alongside a power saving, but the heat produced by these chips will also fall as Intel has moved the voltage regulator off the chip die and back on to motherboards. Intel also open sourced the GPU drivers for Broadwell, meaning Linux users will also benefit from day one.

Broadwell isn’t all good news, though. If you are planning to upgrade an existing PC, chances are you are going to require a new motherboard. Intel is breaking compatibility by including a new power supply requirement and a modified THRMTRIP output buffer. Basically, a Broadwell chip purchase will have to be accompanied by a compatible motherboard buy.